Art & Design School Questions

Art School or University for an Art Degree?

If you're considering an accredited art degree, you may be wondering whether to obtain your degree at an art school or a regular college or university. There are three main points to consider when making this decision.

First - what do you want to learn? Are you interested in learning about art theory, or the more practical side of the art subject? If you're an artist hoping to learn more about practical art techniques, then choosing an art school is most often the best decision. If your interest in art is more theoretical and you are not as focused on learning practical art techniques, you are usually better off choosing a university for your art degree.

Second - what are you planning to do with the art degree? What type of job are you hoping to obtain? The answer to these questions will also determine whether you should choose an art school or an art degree at a university. If your career path will involve using practical art techniques, an art school may be the best place to learn the skills you need. For example, if you are interested in learning graphic design, you may not find the courses you need at a university.

Finally, consider whether you want to obtain an art training that focuses solely on art, or whether you prefer an art degree program with a broader range of courses that includes subjects such as history or philosophy. If you want a broader course range, choosing a university with an art degree will best serve your purpose.

What are the skills of effective art majors/professionals?

Creativity is the number one skill that is required from art majors/professionals. However, creativity alone is not sufficient to become an effective art major/professional. Artistic skills need to be combined with attention to detail, being able to communicate visually, verbally and in writing, and the ability to work independently.

In today's high-tech society, however, mere personal and artistic traits are not enough to give an art major/professional advantage over other players in the field. Especially in specialty fields such as graphic arts, illustration, and web design increasingly, employers expect new artist to be trained in computer graphics and design software.You must continually keep up to date with the development of new and updated software. Examples include:

• Photoshop Training
• Adobe InDesign Training
• Illustrator Training
• Dreamweaver Training
• Flash

As an art major/professional, you also need to be able to show evidence of appropriate talent and skill. This is displayed in an artist's portfolio and is an important factor used by art directors, clients, and others in deciding whether to hire an individual or contract for their work.

A portfolio is a collection of handmade, computer-generated, photographic, or printed samples of the artist's best work. Assembling a successful portfolio requires skills usually developed through postsecondary art training or an accredited degree in visual communications. Internships also provide excellent opportunities for artists to develop and enhance their portfolios.

What are the top 5 art school programs?

The most popular art school programs, in no particular order, are graphic design, animation, fashion design, interior design and photography.

• Graphic Design Program - Graphic design encompasses planning, analyzing, and creating visual solutions to communication problems. Creativity, attention to detail, artistic skills and being able to communicate visually, verbally and in writing are the most important traits you need to become a graphic designer.
• Animation Program- Animation has come a long way in the last few decades. It has applications from advertising to special effects to video games. Whether online or on the big screen, animation is in high demand - which makes it one of the most sought after degrees.
• Fashion Design Program- Fashion Design is yet another increasingly common choice for an art degree. In addition to its practical usage, clothing can be an artistic expression - a projection of the image people want the world to see. There are a multitude of opportunities in fashion design, from sportswear, to children's clothes, to haute couture.
• Interior Design Program- From sketching, designing and arranging beautiful spaces to shopping for household accessories, the jobs of an interior designer are various. As an interior designer you must be able to manage people, budgets and client relationships - all while designing spaces that are attractive, functional, and meet building and safety codes.
• Photography Program- Photography jobs can take many different forms. Some photographers freelance, others run their own studios or work for companies as salaried employees. Photographers can also further customize their careers by choosing to specialize in a certain kind of photography. From wedding photography to commercial photography to photojournalism, there are a lot of possibilities.

Do Some Art Degrees Lead More Easily to Jobs?

The short answer to this question is a definite 'Yes' - some Art school programs will make the graduate more employable than others. There are some other important points to be aware of, however, when choosing your Art major.

A degree in Fine Art might prepare you to work in a museum, or an art gallery. However, a more vocational art program such as Graphic Design training or Motion Graphics training provides vastly increased job opportunities simply because they are vocational, and provide the graduate with a clear career path. Motion Graphics, in particular, is becoming an in-demand art degree due to technological advances in this field of Graphic Design.

The other side to this coin is that completing a clearly-defined and specific vocational Art degree means that you are entering a work field that is also clearly-defined and specific. This can easily lead to increased competition for available jobs, which may in turn reduce your personal employability. In this sense, a more general Art degree is actually very useful, because the skills you learn in completing such a degree can prepare you for a greater variety of jobs.

In addition, it's important to remember that sometimes just having a degree at all will make you a more attractive candidate for many jobs. Often, the subject you choose to study is less important than the fact that obtaining a college degree teaches you important skills, such as organization, problem-solving, and communication. Even so, while this is true to a certain extent it's important to understand that a more vocationally-oriented degree will definitely make you more employable.

When deciding on your accredited art major, the question to ask yourself is - do you have a particular career in mind that you want to pursue once you graduate? If the answer is yes, then choosing a major that fits your intended career path is the best choice. If not, then you're free to choose a major that will give you the greatest range of career options following graduation.

Are there art jobs I could do from home?

Art is considered by many to be the most creative industry. It is also one that is very broad. It can incorporate anything from advertising, and fashion to illustration and graphic design. In addition to being its own industry, art is also sought out by almost all other fields as a means for their own ends. For instance, online companies need web designers to create their web sites, any company needs a professional for package design, illustrators are used for logos and architects are needed for anything from industrial design to interior decoration.

Therefore, while full-time art positions are available in most of the specialties, a lot of artists are also able to work on a contract, freelance basis. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Graphic designers
• Illustrators
• Cartoonists
• Web designers
• Desktop publishers
• Advertisers

Many artists freelance part-time while continuing to hold a full-time job until they are established. Others freelance part time while still in school, to develop experience and to build a portfolio of published work. For artists who set out on their own, having a business sense and confidence play an important role in their ability to succeed. Freelance artists try to develop a set of clients who regularly contract for work. Some freelance artists are widely recognized for their skill in specialties such as cartooning or children's book illustration. These artists may earn high incomes and can choose the type of work they do.

Is autocad the most versatile art and design degree?

Today, everywhere you look, every building, park, home, stadium to name a few examples, was designed using computers before anything was built. Not many things are done by hand anymore, and the work of engineers and architects are no exception. Computer-aided design (CAD) is the technology used by engineers, architects and other design professionals in their design process. AutoCAD professionals are specialized to help create blueprints and other designs on the computer.

AutoCAD certification is one of the most versatile and useful design degrees, especially in the sense that you can go into a variety of fields with a computer aided design and drafting degree, within

• Architecture
• Mechanical and electrical engineering
• Construction industries
• Building engineering
• Roads, railroads
• Machinery and power systems

While most AutoCAD school programs are from a 4-year college, it is equally qualifying to get a formal technical training. There are many programs that offer Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) Certification. Having knowledge the necessary technical programs is just as important as possessing the essential skill sets required, such as drawing skills, creativity, knowledge of engineering and mathematics, organizational skills and attention to detail.

Should an Artist go to Art School?

Choosing whether to go to Art School isn't an easy decision to make. You may wonder what the point is - if you're already an Artist, you may feel that school isn't necessary. It often depends on how long you have been practicing your trade, as Art School may be a more worthwhile prospect for younger Artists. By attending an Art School, you can learn some of the important practical and theoretical aspects of your trade, which can be useful for any type of Artist.

However, it's important to know that the Art School you choose to attend can have an enormous impact on how much you learn, and how useful that information is. At an Art School you'll be exposed to techniques and ideas you may not have otherwise come across, which may end up being invaluable training. However, choosing the wrong school for your needs may mean you don't learn the aspects of Art that you are most in need of training for. The important point is to choose a school where you will learn what you need to know, and where you are able to develop your own unique artistic style.

Choosing the right Art School requires some careful research. Before enrolling in an Art School, learn who will be teaching at the schools you are most interested in, and if possible meet with them to determine which school will be a good fit for you.

What are Video Game Programming Courses really like?

Video Game development courses offer several different types of classes, all of which provide important instruction for a would-be game designer.

Most Video Game Programming school courses include at least one foundation course that may include a primer on C++ and other programming languages such as Java and Visual Basic. In addition, many accredited game design programs include basic classes in mathematics, programming techniques, and the use of computer-aided design tools may also be included in foundation courses. These are important prerequisites for further study.

More advanced study includes a variety of different classes, including advanced classes in C++ and other language programming designed for video game developers, in which students will learn how to create basic tools and applications using various computer languages. Other advanced design courses include graphics programming with DirectX 9, in which students learn basic and advanced concepts in creating 3D graphics programs. For example, students may learn how to design 3D objects, create effects such as shadows, water and glass, and use skeletal animation systems to design characters, trees and other objects. Depending on the course program, other classes such as special effects courses, interface design courses, storyboarding and terrain rendering courses may be included.

In addition, students can take courses in other fundamental development concepts, including mathematics, physics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Each course focuses on applying these concepts to video game design. Learning about physics, for example, allows game developers to create 3D animations that simulate the way objects move in the real world, while mathematics - in particular geometry, trigonometry and algebra - is taught as an important part of game design.

What is Motion Graphics - is it Graphic Design, or Animation?

Motion Graphics are moving images that are typically used for either instruction or entertainment. For example, motion graphics might be used in an instructional video in a distance education course, added to a movie during post-production processes, or used in a commercial to add graphics such as a company logo and moving text. As the technology available to create these types of effects has become much more sophisticated, the people who create these graphics have become more specialized and use more advanced technology and computer-aided software tools.

Motion graphics training is similar to studying Graphic Design or taking an Animation class, and definitely combines elements of both disciplines. After studying Motion Graphics, a students will understand how to create elements that might be in the form of text, moving computerized images or diagrams, special effects added to a film, TV show or computer game, or even effects added to a web site or internet commercial.

In terms of education, most people who end up working in motion graphics have obtained at least a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design. These days, Graphic Design majors can choose to gain a degree that specializes in Motion Graphics, and an increasing number of schools are offering Motion Graphics certifications. Students learn about the fundamentals of Graphic Design and also Motion Design-oriented subjects such as:

• Drawing
• Art composition
• Color
• Typography
• Storyboarding
• Layout
• Editing
• Animation
• Creating visual effects

To be web designer should I pursue an art degree or an IT degree?

Within the past thirty years, the number of Web sites increased from 3,000 to 30 million. Along with the growth of the internet, web design training has expanded to meet the growing industry that combines the fields of:

• Graphic Design
• Computer Programming
• Multimedia
• Writing

The necessity for attractive web site designs in order to draw an audience and the vast interest artists show in web design led to the creation and development of accredited web design degrees and web design certifications, which combine art classes with more technical information such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Flash and Photoshop. It is important to have a good grasp of graphic design and layout and text editing. However, the best web-designers know both the technical skills, and how a good looking page is supposed to look.

Web graphic design degree holders, as opposed to those who have degrees only in art or IT, are uniquely poised to take advantage of career opportunities in a huge variety of areas. Today, every business large or small needs a strong web presence in order to thrive and this means a large web design base within the graphic design industry. Career fields that you might work as a web designer in include:

• Advertising
• Marketing
• Technical communications
• Publishing
• Training

Does the booming Video Game Industry mean more Jobs?

Demand for multimedia artists and animators will increase as consumers continue to demand more realistic video games, movie and television special effects, and 3D animated movies.

Multi-media artists and animators create the large series of pictures that form the animated images seen in movies, commercials, television programs, and computer games. As the demand for not only video games, but ones that are high definition and realistic increases drastically, the need for multimedia artist and animators that can create these games through their artistic talents grows. After training in multi-media arts there will be many opportunities for someone interested in working in the expanding gaming industry.

Employment of multi-media artists and animators is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014.